Air Evac to move base from Glen Rose to Granbury

Wednesday

Air Evac Lifeteam, the provider of air ambulance service to rural areas, plans to relocate its Glen Rose base to Granbury sometime in the next two months.

The decision to move the base was made as part of the company’s plan to put air ambulances in areas where there is the most need, said Air Evac Lifeteam Vice President of Operations Daniel Sweeza.

“After studying the area, we’ve determined that a lot of our flights were coming from the Hood County area and other communities to the north,” Sweeza said. “We felt this move would help allow us to best utilize our resources to make emergency medical care more available to those who need it.”

The base will still continue to serve the community of Glen Rose and the surrounding area, Sweeza stressed.

“We’re looking forward to continuing the relationships we’ve built in this area and will continue to serve them as we have in the past,” he added.

Sweeza said he expected the move will take place in November or December of this year.

Air Evac Lifeteam, headquartered in West Plains, Mo., is the largest independently owned air ambulance service in the country. The company’s business philosophy is based on the belief that air ambulances should be placed in areas of greatest need — rural communities that are often hours away from lifesaving trauma care.

“People who live in rural communities are three times as likely to die from a critical injury or illness as their counterparts who live in metropolitan areas — mainly due to the amount of time it takes to reach medical care,” said Air Evac Lifeteam President Seth Myers. “Our goal is to decrease that statistic by giving those who’ve chosen to live in rural America equal access to quality health care.

Air Evac Lifeteam crews, which include a registered nurse, paramedic and pilot are on call at each base 24 hours a day. They provide on-the-scene medical care, rapid transport to medical facilities and critical care inter-facility transfers. Each helicopter is equipment with state-of-the-art medical equipment and crewmembers are trained in advanced pre-hospital care so medical care can begin at the scene and continue en route to the hospital.

In addition to the medical training the crews have, each helicopter and crew is now equipped and trained with Night Vision Technology. Air Evac Lifeteam is the largest air medical company to complete implementation of this technology.

Safety prompted the company-wide commitment to the goggles. With Air Evac Lifeteam crews spending approximately 30-40 percent of their flight time on evening flights, the company wanted an additional safety tool for helping to spot terrain, obstructions, or a suitable landing zone.

Air Evac Lifeteam was also one of the first air ambulance services in the country to offer a membership program. Members pay an annual fee and, if they are flown by Air Evac Lifeteam, they do not have to pay for the flight. Memberships are valid in all Air Evac Lifeteam service areas so members are covered while traveling through Air Evac Lifeteam service areas.

Annual memberships are $50 for an individual, $55 for a couple and $60 for a household of three or more.

For more information about Air Evac Lifeteam services or employment opportunities, call 1-800-793-0010 or visit www.lifeteam.net.

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